For years, the suffering of animals in Canadian animal experimentation has been hidden behind closed doors. But thanks to courageous whistleblowers and undercover investigations, the truth is finally coming to light.
In 2025, Animal Justice helped two brave whistleblowers expose a secret dog-testing lab at St. Joseph’s Hospital in London, Ontario. The public outrage that followed helped force the hospital to shut down the lab, and the surviving dogs were rehomed. The exposé also helped pass groundbreaking legislation prohibiting invasive medical research on dogs and cats—a world first.
More recently, an investigation by Last Chance for Animals exposed the cruel treatment of beagles at Nucro-Technics, Canada’s largest contract animal research facility, which sourced many of its dogs from the controversial and now-shuttered Ridglan Farms.
Panelists discussed recent breakthroughs that have opened a rare and urgent window of opportunity.
Speakers
- Dr. Charu Chandrasekera: Scientist & Founder of Canada’s first animal-free science centre
- Kaitlyn Mitchell: Animal Justice’s Director of Legal Advocacy
- Alex Mooney: Whistleblower at St. Joseph’s dog lab
- Dr. Stacy Lopresti-Goodman: Director of the Animal Law Education and Scholarship Program at the Animal Legal Defense Fund
- Nives Ilic & Mack: Animal Justice’s Mobilization Manager & former lab dog
Hosted by Animal Justice’s Kimberly Carroll
Chapters
- 00:00 — Introduction to the panel and recent exposés
- 11:59 — Conditions of dogs in labs and signs of suffering
- 15:47 — Resilience and rehoming of lab animals like Mack
- 19:58 — Legislative victories: Ontario’s ban on invasive experiments
- 23:48 — Details of Bill 75 and its impact on animal research
- 27:52 — The need for a national animal welfare act
- 31:53 — The fight against industry challenges and legal battles
- 36:12 — The importance of rehoming animals and ongoing efforts
- 38:08 — Stories of animals rehomed and their recovery
- 40:00 — The resilience of lab animals and their capacity to heal
- 41:52 — The emotional impact of witnessing animal suffering
- 44:11 — The importance of animal-free science and alternatives
- 46:02 — Global comparisons and progress in other countries
- 47:56 — Challenges in regulation and enforcement in Canada
- 50:11 — The fight against industry opposition and legal challenges
- 51:56 — Call to action: phone campaigns and protests
- 54:09 — Upcoming protests and advocacy events
- 55:49 — The role of grassroots activism and community involvement
- 57:56 — The importance of public education and awareness
- 01:00:05 — The future of animal experimentation and legislation
- 01:01:58 — The need for funding and political support
- 01:03:56 — The potential of animal-free science to transform research
- 01:06:12 — International examples and successful models
- 01:07:51 — The ongoing fight and hope for change
- 01:10:09 — The stories of primates and other animals in labs
- 01:12:02 — The importance of compassion and activism
- 01:13:57 — Final messages and call to action
